I really need to change the Velo saddle on my Carbon Fibre Road Bike as Im in pain and numb. Yes I know it will improve over time but I dont see it disappearing completely.

What is the BEST MOST COMFORTABLE saddle I could possibly have on this road bike for my commuting purposes? ie im willing to swap out the saddle for racing etc but for my daily commuting etc my prime focus is ULTRA COMFORT.

evangelion wrote:What is the BEST MOST COMFORTABLE saddle I could possibly have on this road bike for my commuting purposes? ie im willing to swap out the saddle for racing etc but for my daily commuting etc my prime focus is ULTRA COMFORT.

You might as well ask what size shoes you should wear.

Everybody's bum is a different shape and size, and will fit best on a different saddle.

What saddle is most comfortable for your bum? Impossible to tell, because I don't have your bum.

My bum likes SDG BelAir saddles, but yours may not.

For what it's worth, my feet like size 42 shoes, and yours may too... but I wouldn't be surprised they didn't.

Barefoot and TDC I realise its a very individualistic thing but I was after overall consensus on which saddle/s are overall thought of as comfortable because of their design, padding, gels etc.

For commuting purposes like I said dont care about weight etc simply comfort.

Mit I tried that with the seat that came with the bike a velo that appears to be pretty much a knock off a fizik saddle and no go.

Went to the store and picked up a PlanetBike ARS Competition Anatomic Relief Saddle and once the soreness etc that is currently there goes away will give that a try and see how I go. I was/still am very tempted by the Serfas RX-921 though the guys at the store thought it was more appropriate for mountainbikes and comfort/city bikes. ALL i want is the most comfortable seat on the road bike for commuting to take bumps and cushion the tooshy lol. When racing etc I can easily swap it out.

Selle SMP is for me regardless of what riding I do. Currently on the roadie, but I'm considering another two - one for the tt bike (not sure my butt likes the Adamo as much) and another for the cx commuter. I've never been told I have a fussy butt, but every other part of me is fussy so it wouldn't surprise me

evangelion wrote:Barefoot and TDC I realise its a very individualistic thing but I was after overall consensus on which saddle/s are overall thought of as comfortable because of their design, padding, gels etc.

Hah - there will be no consensus when it comes to saddles, but I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned the closest to consensus you are likely to achieve, and that is a Brooks. The B17 is the logical choice for commuting, but for a roadie you might prefer one of the racier models.

As RonK said above, it really depends how forward your body is angled (which is often a function of saddle to bar drop and effective reach) as to which Brooks is the closest fit for you. Another factor is how wide you sit bones are. On the MTB and flat bar I have a Brooks B17 Imperial (B17 with cutout) which is better for more upright riding. I use a Brooks Pro for the road bike, which starts out a bit noticeable at the start of each ride, but then disappears after about 3 Km.http://www.rivbike.com/Articles.asp?ID=318Brooks saddles need a bit of leather care from time to time. They also need breaking in time if you are relatively light. Some models are easier to break in than others.

Another popular option for road bikes in particular are the Selle SMP saddles. You might be able to find a bike shop with a saddle loan program on these so you can find the best one by trial and error.

RonK wrote:Hah - there will be no consensus when it comes to saddles, but I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned the closest to consensus you are likely to achieve, and that is a Brooks. The B17 is the logical choice for commuting, but for a roadie you might prefer one of the racier models.

On the contrary

Commuter bikes get ridden in all weather, and often get left out in the elements.

I wouldn't do that to my Brooks. It's a fair-weather saddle. At very least, when I'm riding it, it has my bum to protect it from the elements. No parking out in the rain to get it waterlogged.

Nobody wrote:Brooks saddles need a bit of leather care from time to time. They also need breaking in time if you are relatively light. Some models are easier to break in than others.

The leather care required for the Brooks is really minimal - 15-20 minutes max, once or twice a years to rub in some Proofide and then polish it off. Adjust the tension at the nose every so often - 30 second job maybe once a year.

As for breaking in and comfort, I'm a lightweight and have always found the Brooks at least as comfortable as the saddle it replaced to start with, and then it just gets more comfy over time.

I commute on a Brooks however it never needs to sit out in the weather. If it did, the Brooks saddle cover would be all that would be needed to keep it nice. All Brooks saddles are now supplied with one now.

RonK wrote:Hah - there will be no consensus when it comes to saddles, but I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned the closest to consensus you are likely to achieve, and that is a Brooks. The B17 is the logical choice for commuting, but for a roadie you might prefer one of the racier models.

On the contrary

Commuter bikes get ridden in all weather, and often get left out in the elements.

I wouldn't do that to my Brooks. It's a fair-weather saddle. At very least, when I'm riding it, it has my bum to protect it from the elements. No parking out in the rain to get it waterlogged.

My commuter has a plastic saddle.

tim

Only an issue if you want it to be. A plastic bag, a disposable shower cap, or the cover that Brooks supply with new saddles is all it takes to protect it when it's not being ridden.

Try to work out WHY your current saddle is causing you pain. There are lots of possible causes but you need to work out what it is about your bum and current saddle that is the problem. Once you have worked this out you can then narrow down a handful of saddles that fix/prevent the issues you are experiencing. E.g. Do you need a narrower or wider saddle or do you need a cutout saddle, etc. You may need to get a bike fitter to diagnose this for you as the problem could be partly due to poor bike fit.

It's often hit and miss finding the right saddle so sometimes you have to try a few before finding the "one". Find a shop that has demo saddles so you can test a few saddles before making a purchase. The other option is buying second hand via eBay and then selling the rejects again on EBay at a small loss.

This is my favourite saddle of all time. A modern classic, very comfortable for long rides, light weight, no wearing in period and impervious to weather. Just bought my 6th one for my CX bike. It's width (139mm) suits me and has reasonably long rails to position it further back which I prefer.I also use several Fiziks Ariones on various bikes which is listed on that link you posted. They are even narrower at 133mm and have slightly longer rails to position the seat even further back. I commuted on the Flite for many years and raced on them too. A saddle for commuting and racing are not necessarily mutually exclusive, you can and s/be equally comfortable on both.

You may not need a heavy, wide saddle like the "Bricks" to get comfy. Although they do have a cult like following now with users claiming superb comfort there are too many negs for me. Try the saddles on that link and get one that is kind to your sit bones. Play around with the position, start at level then move it slightly up or down until right. It helps to have a good seat post too that will take micro adjustment. I also favour seatposts with at least 23mm of setback such as the Salsa Shaft, Deda Zero (25mm) or another on my tourer, a Selcof, with up to 35mm of setback depending on how I place the cradle in the slots for the seat. My tourer has a Gel Flite which is comfy for long hauls too.

il padrone wrote:As for breaking in and comfort, I'm a lightweight and have always found the Brooks at least as comfortable as the saddle it replaced to start with, and then it just gets more comfy over time.

You've tried the Pro haven't you? Could you break it in? Like a bit of wood when I got mine. I'm 82Kg and it took at least 500Km to get comfy. It stopped being significantly uncomfortable after the second ride though. Even then I only really noticed it at the start of the rides. The B17 variants were pretty good from the beginning. I don't wear cycling specific shorts.

Ah, yes, the Team Pro. The one saddle that has been the exception. It beat me. I rode it for a good 3 months commuting and touring.... ~2,000-3,000kms and it's still like a block of wood Retired to the full-suspension MTB.

I have found the Swift to be much nicer. There is a steel-rail version that is a bit cheaper price, but I went for the Ti version. Noticeably more flex from the rails so a bit more road give (?).

The B17 I like is the Champion Special, and the Flyer Special for a sprung saddle.

moosterbounce wrote:Selle SMP is for me regardless of what riding I do. Currently on the roadie, but I'm considering another two - one for the tt bike (not sure my butt likes the Adamo as much) and another for the cx commuter. I've never been told I have a fussy butt, but every other part of me is fussy so it wouldn't surprise me

Me too. Don't feel anything after 100kms+. I.e., no adjusting, no need to wriggle to find relief from pain, etc etc. I've got two dynamics, one for my commuter and my roadie. Rather pricey tho

Nobody wrote:As RonK said above, it really depends how forward your body is angled (which is often a function of saddle to bar drop and effective reach) as to which Brooks is the closest fit for you.

That would be none if you have any sort of an aggressive aero ride position with a decent saddle to handlebar drop. Never seen one on a race bike for that reason, that and the sheer butt ugliness of them

Nobody wrote:Another popular option for road bikes in particular are the Selle SMP saddles.

I understand there are some on here who use them but never seen one on any bike myself, well for any length of time anyway

This is what works for me;

and guess what, you just wack it on there and ride the bike in any weather conditions. No massaging it with wax or KY or whatever brooks owners like to rub on their bottoms